Historic election features lots of close races

Sandy Chaleski, an assistant registrar of voters, counts the "vote here" signs that she'll have available for workers to set up Tuesday morning at the Pembroke Elementary School polling place. Photo taken Monday, Nov. 1, 2010. less

Sandy Chaleski, an assistant registrar of voters, counts the "vote here" signs that she'll have available for workers to set up Tuesday morning at the Pembroke Elementary School polling place. Photo taken ... more

Photo: Carol Kaliff

Photo: Carol Kaliff

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Sandy Chaleski, an assistant registrar of voters, counts the "vote here" signs that she'll have available for workers to set up Tuesday morning at the Pembroke Elementary School polling place. Photo taken Monday, Nov. 1, 2010. less

Sandy Chaleski, an assistant registrar of voters, counts the "vote here" signs that she'll have available for workers to set up Tuesday morning at the Pembroke Elementary School polling place. Photo taken ... more

Photo: Carol Kaliff

Historic election features lots of close races

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The results of Tuesday's historic election will reshape the state's political landscape.

With Gov. M Jodi Rell, of Brookfield, and U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd deciding not to run for re-election, the field opened up for new leaders, and the state will elect a new governor and a new U.S. senator.

Most of the other top statewide races are for open seats, which means voters will choose a new secretary of the state, attorney general and comptroller.

According to last-minute polling, many races are very close, and political pundits say every vote will count, especially since voter turnout isn't expected to reach more than 60 percent.

While Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Stamford mayor Dan Malloy, has led most polls in recent months, a voter survey released Monday showed GOP contender, businessman Tom Foley, of Greenwich, pulling ahead by a nose.

Danbury residents have a particular interest in the gubernatorial race, since their mayor, Republican Mark Boughton, is Foley's running mate and could become lieutenant governor.

If Malloy wins, the state's longtime comptroller, Democrat Nancy Wyman, of Tolland, would become lieutenant governor.

In the U.S. Senate race, while Democratic candidate Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut's attorney general for the past 20 years, is ahead of challenger, Republican businesswoman Linda McMahon, of Stamford, who in recent days has narrowed the gap.

The 5th Congressional District contest between two-term Democratic incumbent Chris Murphy, of Southington, and Republican challenger, state Sen. Sam Caligiuri, R-Waterbury, also is considered a horse race.

Even with so much at stake, most officials doubt voter turnout will be large. Connecticut's average turnout for a midterm election is about 60 percent, and most believe the state probably come close.

"I think people have been turned off by the negative advertising," said Barbara Hyatt, the Republican registrar of voters in New Milford. "It's been really nasty, and nobody wants to see that."

More Information

Election Day voting
Polls will be open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For information on the candidates or a sample copy of local ballots, log onto www.newstimes.com/elections.
To find your polling location, contact your local registrar of voters office or the Connecticut Secretary of the State's web site at www.ct.gov/sots.

Hyatt added that while the office was flooded with phone calls Monday from people asking where they can vote, only about a dozen new voters have registered in recent weeks.

Mary Ann Doran, the Republican registrar of voters from Danbury, said she also expects a lackluster turnout on Tuesday.

According to Lori Kaback, the city's town clerk, residents have asked for about 1,100 absentee ballots -- more than the 823 ballots from last year's municipal election, but fewer than the more than 2,000 ballots handed out during the 2008 presidential election.

"My hope is that turnout is better than average," said Kukk. "The negative advertising has turned people off from politics. But I'm hoping we can overcome that.